The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network announced today that Brian L. Ferrell has been appointed by the Treasury General Counsel to be the Chief Counsel of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Mr. Ferrell will supervise the attorneys and staff that provide legal support to FinCEN officials on issues relating to the administration of the Bank Secrecy Act, domestic and international aspects of information law, inter-agency information-sharing, the use of information in enforcement operations and proceedings, international law relating to counter-money laundering efforts, and administrative law.

"Brian is an outstanding attorney and executive. He brings a wealth of experience to this important position,” said William J. Fox, Director of FinCEN. "FinCEN will be a better organization by having Brian join our leadership team.

Prior to becoming Chief Counsel at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Mr. Ferrell served as Chief Counsel of the Bureau of the Public Debt and as the U.S. Treasury’s Senior Counsel for Litigation. In the latter capacity, Mr. Ferrell directly oversaw and managed Treasury’s significant litigation.

Before joining Treasury in July 2001, Mr. Ferrell served nearly eight years as a Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice where he received the John Marshall Award for Participation in Litigation, the Department of Justice’s highest award. Prior to entering government service, Mr. Ferrell served for two years as an Assistant Dean at Creighton University, his alma mater, and spent several years in a boutique litigation practice in upstate New York.

Mr. Ferrell has a Bachelor’s degree from Creighton University, a J.D. from Creighton University School of Law, and a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School. He is a member of the Nebraska and New York bars.